I Think the World Might be Against Us
by weasleyjumper
Summary: Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy are best friends, no , soulmates. But when things get a little more intimate, things go against them, and it's not just Ron.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I just realised that _I'm not J.K Rowling _so I don't own this. **

An owl swept over the unkempt hedge of the once mighty Malfoy Manor. The owl tapped on the only lit window in the manor. A pale hand opened the window and let the owl in. The hand belonged to Scorpius Malfoy, a tall boy with gold-blonde hair. He recognised the owl and gave it a small treat. "Is she not feeding you, Flossie?" the boy asked the owl as it hastily gobbled the treat, its eyes wide and begging him for more food. Scorpius opened the letter and read it, imagining the voice that went with the words.

_Dear Scor,_

_Have you been having a good summer? I'm just back from France, remind me never to argue with veela, they're vicious little… anyway, we've got a week left (I'm sure I don't need to remind you) so would you like to stay at my grandparent's house? Daddy wants to meet you, well, sort of. _

_Please come to the Burrow tomorrow night at eight,_

_Love,_

_Rose Weasley xxx_

Scorpius read and re-read the letter, feeling a different emotion each time, until he found courage. He ran into his father's dark study, where his father had taken to sleeping. "Father, Father, wake up!" Scorpius shook his slumbering father. "What is it Scorpius?" His father groaned. Scorpius opened his mouth to speak before a wave of fear crashed over him. "I w-w-was um, I-I wanted to ask-"

"Spit it out Scorpy" His father urged him; Scorpius cringed at his childhood name. "I have been invited to Rose Weasley's grandparents for the last week. Can I go? Please? I'll be out of your hair." Scorpius dreaded his father's answer but crossed his fingers, an old muggle suspicion Rose had taught him would bring him luck. Draco, Scorpius' father, sighed. "Yes, yes okay. But be careful with Ron. I don't know what's going on between you and Rose, but Ron won't like it." Draco smiled a little as he finished speaking. Scorpius grinned at his father, but a feeling of fear rose in his chest. Ron Weasley was notoriously protective of Rose, as were her brother and cousins. Even Scorpius' best-friend Al had stopped leaving them alone together, he was Rose's cousin. It was unsurprising; every social group in the school had a Weasley or Potter in. Scorpius was lucky enough to have both. "Thanks, Dad. I'm leaving tomorrow. And for your information there is nothing going on between me and Rose Weasley." With that Scorpius left his father's study. Draco smiled and shook his head at his son's retreating figure. It had been so long since Scorpius had called him 'Dad'. He also found his son's denial of what was blatant to anyone who had seen Scorpius speak about, or with, Rose Weasley, amusing. It was obvious that he cared about her deeply. Whether it was love Draco didn't know; his childhood had lacked love; but it was certainly devotion, a look Draco had seen so many times in his mother's eyes as she had gazed at his cold, twisted father. Sighing he rested his head on the desk and drifted off to sleep.

Scorpius raised his hand to knock on the brightly coloured front door. His father had just taken him to The Burrow by side along apparition. The nausea that usually came from side along apparition was doubled by the sense of impending doom he felt as he stood on the doorstep of his best-friends' grandparents home. Why did his family choose to hate this family? His parents tolerated them, but his older family members definitely nursed hatred towards the Potter/Weasley clan. Scorpius took a deep breath, was he or was he not a Gryffindor? He knocked and moments later the door opened, revealing a small, plump witch whom he guessed was in her late sixties to early seventies. "Hello dear! You must be Scorpius. Do come in poppet." The witch welcomed him into a cluttered hallway. "ROSIE! AL! COME DOWNSTAIRS! YOUR FRIEND HAS ARRIVED!" She called. Scorpius heard the distant clatter of feet on the rickety staircase; he gazed up the stairs that wound high up to the roof. This wasn't quite as impressive as Malfoy Manor, but it was tall and higgledy-piggledy, possessing a comfort his childhood home didn't have, no matter how hard his mother had tried to make it homely. "I'm their grandma, Molly Weasley. Everyone calls me Grandma Weasley." The witch informed him as she led him into the warm kitchen. Scorpius noticed a huge table with over twenty places set. "We'll send your bags up to your room. You'll share with Al, James and Freddie. We'd let you share with Teddy, I believe you're related, only he's a werewolf and we wanted to let him have some time to recover after the other night." The witch said matter of factly. Scorpius had been told about Teddy, his father's cousin's son. "You must be feeling a little overwhelmed. Not to worry dear, Rosie and Al will be down in a tick." As she finished her sentence, Rose charged in, Albus behind her. "SCORPIUS!" She yelled hugging him. Scorpius hugged her back. "I missed you so much you're making me go all girly." Scorpius complained, more to Rose than Albus. Albus was his friend, his best friend, but he didn't have to fight the urge to kiss Albus. "I missed you too." Rose told him earnestly. Grandma Weasley cleared her throat. "You don't want Ron finding you being so... _friendly._" She cautioned them. It was too late, Rose's father burst through the doorway, knocking over Albus in the process. "ROSE NYMPHADORA WEASLEY!" He hollered at them. Rose pulled out of Scorpius' hug. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHO'S THIS?"

"Hello Daddy. This is, as you know full well, Scorpius. My best friend." Rose retorted coldly. Ron went an odd purplish colour and spluttered angrily at his daughter and Scorpius. "He looked too happy about it. He was enjoying it too much." Ron replied lamely. A woman whose face Scorpius remembered from countless newspaper articles and chocolate frog cards, Hermione Granger, Rose's mother. "Ron? Are you upsetting Rosie?"She scolded. Ron and Hermione began to argue and Rose took that opportunity to leave. She grabbed Scorpius and Albus and stomped off into the hallway and up the stairs.

"I cannot _believe _my father! He actually thinks you _fancy_ me!" Rose fumed. Albus caught Scorpius' eye and raised his eyebrow. In the spring Scorpius had stayed at the Potter's and had played a game of Truths with Albus and James, unlike muggle Truths, wizard Truths involved Veritaserum, a truth telling potion, Scorpius would never escape his answer of 'Rose Weasley'. He glared at him Albus and mouthed the words, 'If you dare..." at him. Rose stopped babbling about her father and stared at them. "Do you two want to tell me what you're saying?" Her tone was icy. Scorpius went magenta and mumbled incoherently. Rose gave an exasperated sigh and led them onwards to their room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Once again I'm not J.K Rowling...until my next batch of Polyjuice potion is ready. **

**Hi Riddle/Casey.**

The three teenagers had been chatting about the past five weeks; Albus did an impression of angry veela for Scorpius, who didn't think he'd ever get the image out of his head. In the middle of Rose's account of Paris, a loud crack made them all jump about a foot in the air. A tiny, wrinkly house-elf stood in the middle of them. It made a small noise, which Scorpius assumed meant it was clearing its throat, and began to speak. "Master Ronald apologizes for any behaviour that may have caused offence and Mistress Molly senior wishes to tell you that tea is ready." Rose beamed at the little creature and thanked it. "Winnie is Grandma's right hand girl. Mum pays for her. Win, this is Scorpius, Scorpius Malfoy." Rose introduced them and Winnie hopped about excitedly pointing at Scorpius, who (not for the first or last time that day) looked bewildered. "My sister! She is working for you! Often she is speaking of kind young Master Malfoy. Tippy, she is a kitchen elf." She looked so pleased Scorpius had to nod encouragingly. Albus noticed Scorpius' discomfort and announced loudly that they should go down to tea.

When Scorpius got to the kitchen, he let out an audible gasp. "There are loads of you!" He muttered to Rose and Albus. Rose laughed, but her face fell as Ron put on a forced smile and gesture at Scorpius to sit next to him. There was a seat next to Scorpius', but when Rose went to sit there, an almost bald, skinny old man, whom Scorpius took to be Rose's grandfather slipped in and made Rose sit next to him. Ron Weasley, one third of the saviours of the world, the golden trio, glared at him, a particularly unpleasant look in his eyes. Scorpius gulped. "So _Malfoy,_ what house are you in?" He asked, maliciously. Scorpius smiled at him shakily. "Gryffindor sir, best house there is." He replied, hoping Ron would be satisfied. He wasn't. "I bet your _father _was proud." He remarked, sarcasm dripping from every letter. "I think so; he was pleased I wouldn't have the bullying he had, that if I was in Gryffindor I wouldn't be marked as the son of a death-eater." Scorpius kept his voice level, for Rose. She'd never like him if he hexed her father. Ron gave him another peculiar look. "What's your ambition?" He asked. Scorpius replied without hesitating.

"An Auror, I think it's a noble job. I also want to protect the people I love." Scorpius made the mistake of glancing at Rose on the last few words. Ron looked disgusted.

"I'm not sure if Auror is really your thing." Ron told him rudely. Rose had heard this and looked horrified. Scorpius gave Ron a sad smile. "Sir, why not? I have good grades, second only to Rose's. I work hard, is it my surname? The thing I can't help." Scorpius sounded challenging and Ron couldn't think of a reply, he just sat there, mouth agape. An uneasy silence hung in the air; everyone had been listening, sub-consciously at least. The silence was broken by James' cheery "What's for pudding then". As Grandma Weasley conjured up sumptuous desserts conversation resumed.

Scorpius lay awake for hours, had he made a mistake in coming here? No, Rose was here. He needed to prove himself to Rose. He was barely asleep when he begun dreaming of her. "Scorpius! Scorpius!" She hissed. Wait, why was she hissing? Dream-Rose never usually hissed usually she… Scorpius sat up and rubbed his eyes. Sat on the windowsill was Rose, her red hair ruffled and filled with twigs. "Scorpius get up! Come on I want to talk to you." She looked irritated. Scorpius sighed sleepily. "I love dreams like this". Rose frowned at him.

"Do you often dream about me?" Rose looked confused.

"Every night." He smiled. This was one of the best dream-Rose's he'd met in a while; it was like talking to the real girl. A horrible realisation came over Scorpius like a bucket of cold water. This was the real Rose! She was smiling at him. Did this mean? "Scorpius you daft daffodil. You had me going for a second then! I almost thought..." Rose looked away and trailed off. What had she almost thought? She really was infuriating. "Anyway, do you want to come up to the paddock? No one can interrupt us there. Not that we'd be doing anything worth interrupting, but we can you know talk." Rose had gone her famous shade of red, the blush creeping from her ears down until her face was red as she stumbled over her words. Scorpius felt a strange triumph, he'd made Rose blush, sort of.

"Yeah, why not?" He tried to sound cool and calm. Rose screwed up her face and asked, rather bluntly, why he was putting on a voice. Scorpius shrugged and followed her as she slipped out the window, climbed in a way that only Rose Weasley could down the tall tree outside the boy's window, clumsily dropping onto the well worn path that led up a miniature hill with a cluster of trees on top of it. The two of them meandered quietly up the hill, not really speaking until they were settled at the base of a tree. "You didn't tell us about your summer. How's the monster?" The monster was Circe Flint, Scorpius' ex-girlfriend. He'd never liked her, but she was a pretty defence mechanism against rumours that he and Rose were some kind of secret couple, and of course to make Rose jealous when she 'went out' with various boys. Sadly he couldn't get rid of Circe as soon as Rose had got rid of Lysander Scamander. "The monster is finished!" Scorpius cried, jumping up with the air of a hero. Rose giggled but shushed him. "You'll wake the others!" She warned. Scorpius sat back down and in what he hoped was a friendly way slung his arm around Rose. He felt her tense underneath him and her breathing became a little irregular. "I love you Rose." He told her honestly. Rose smiled back in a way which meant she didn't know what he was trying to say. "I love you too. You're my best friend. Never forget that." She rested her head on his shoulder and fell asleep. Scorpius soon fell asleep as well, but a tear rolled down his porcelain cheek. She'd never love him like he loved her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: NO! Apparently just wishing you were someone doesn't make you them, so sadly I own none of this and I am not J.K Rowling. Boo.**

Scorpius woke up very confused. For some reason he was outside, in a strange place with something heavy resting against his shoulder. He'd had a really strange dream the night before, he and Rose Weasley had been at Rose's grandparents, she'd come and got him in the middle of the night to talk, but they'd fallen asleep. He had a clear recollection of Rose and him talking about love. He turned to see what the heavy thing on his shoulder was. He saw a mass of frizzy red curls and felt a little faint. Last night hadn't been a dream! Rose stirred, her fluffy, messy hair tickling him. "What am I doing...? Merlin! Scorpius what are we doing here? " She looked groggy and a little scared. Scorpius patted her head. He was a little hurt that she couldn't remember a thing, but he had thought it was a dream so it was understandable. "We had a stroll and a chat, we dozed off. Not much. I made you blush." Scorpius couldn't resist adding the last part. Rose looked shocked, as if asking how. "You accidentally said something that implied we were, you know, together." Scorpius gave her an embarrassed smile. Rose looked relieved and laughed.

"I thought I'd done something like kiss you! Eurgh!" Rose shook her head as if to take away the image which Scorpius liked so much. "Yeah. Eurgh!" He echoed in a childish way, his heart breaking as he spoke. Rose rolled her eyes. "Breakfast?" She suggested. Scorpius grinned, he was keen to experience Grandma Weasley's cooking again. Together they skipped off down the track.

After a stomach-bursting breakfast, Rose, Scorpius and Albus lay in the garden, gazing up at the cirrus clouds that scudded across the bright blue sky. The sun danced across them in that morning way, dappling the leaves on the trees and shrubbery around them. "What shall we do?" Rose sighed. In answer to her question, James bounded over to them, carrying the broomstick that he called 'his baby'. James loved his broom, girls knew they were special to him if he stopped stroking his broom and spoke to them. Needless to say, James was a talented Quidditch player, tipped for the England team the next year when he'd left school. "Quidditch, anyone? Got to have my star players practising." James joked, he was the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, a merciless, victory obsessed slave driver as well. Rose leapt up excitedly, she adored Quidditch, and Scorpius often had to drag her off the pitch. "If the others play we'll have a full team!" She looked hopefully at James. "Have they agreed?" She asked, bouncing with anticipation. James nodded, "They're all up at the paddock, you seen our paddock Scor? We play Quidditch on that hill-thing over there." James pointed up at the small hill where Rose had taken Scorpius the night before. Rose stared at the ground, as if the grass were suddenly fascinating. James caught Scorpius looking guiltily at Rose, looked from one to the other, appeared to think for a moment then cottoned on. His hazel eyes bulged as he sussed it out. Rose looked up at James and her mouth fell open as James doubled up laughing. Albus glanced over at them, arched one eye-brow then sauntered off up to the paddock. James looked suddenly disapproving as he spoke to them. "So what did I miss if I wasn't up there with you last night?" He asked Rose and Scorpius. Rose looked indignant and replied "We went to feed the hens this morning then went for a walk. Is there anything wrong with that?" James gave them a wicked grin.

"I fed the chickens." He informed them. Rose looked panicked for a second, then covered it up with a toss of her red hair and told him the chickens were going to get fat. James didn't buy it and a terrifyingly gleeful expression lit up his face. "Ooooh! Rebel-Rosie with her pure-blood boyfriend! I can tell on youuuu!" James cackled.

"He's not my _boyfriend_! I don't _love _Scorpius!" Rose retorted childishly. Memories of the night before flooded back to Scorpius, the words that he had dared to say. He was such an idiot! So was she for not noticing what was so clear. Rose whispered in James' ear. His gleeful expression was wiped from his face. "Fine, I won't tell." James shot Rose a venomous glare and skulked off up the path. Rose looked triumphant. Scorpius was curious and asked what she'd said. With the mischievous smile that so often featured on the faces of the Weasley-Potter clan, she replied "Never you mind Scor."

The Weasley children, Potter children, and Teddy Lupin came to thirteen and Scorpius made them fourteen, the number of players on a Quidditch team. They were divided equally, though Victoire had very nearly broken off her engagement to Teddy over who got who. When she'd calmed down, the game began. Rose and Scorpius were opposing beaters, they weren't used to it at all, they were usually great team mates and chasers, but a Weasley family rule meant they had to try a new position. Scorpius enjoyed the power of being a beater. He got revenge every time the opposition scored, even Fred II, the best beater since the infamous Weasley twins, admitted he was good, not a patch on him, but good. As the match played on, the 'snitch' (a gold painted ping-pong ball that was enchanted to fly like a snitch) was sighted. Lily and Hugo, opposing seekers raced for it, Lily had it within her reach... suddenly a muggle cricket ball, the 'bludger', shot past Scorpius, making straight for Hugo. Scorpius flew, frantically trying to out fly the bludger as it pelted towards Hugo. The only thing he could do was yell and try to stop it. Scorpius swerved in front of it just in time. He heard a long, piercing scream before he was plunged into complete blackness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing I am not J.K. Rowling. There, I said it stupid psychiatrist who tells me I'm not J.K Rowling.**

"Is he okay?" A voice, unfamiliar to Scorpius asked.

"I don't know Auntie Audrey. You see he hasn't been speaking. The idiot went and got himself knocked out; he's un-bloody-conscious." An irritated girl replied. Rose!

"It wasn't his fault!" A young girl's vaguely familiar voice came from by his ear.

"Yes it was. The daft dozy flew in front of a bludger! And to think we used to fight to be top of the class." Rose reminisced.

"Used to? You mean you don't compete anymore?" A male voice, Ron he thought, sounded confused. Rose sighed,

"Not much of a competition anymore. Especially not since he just went and got the little

Sense he has knocked out by a bludger." Rose had really brought him to his senses.

"I'm still competition Rosie-Posy!" Scorpius piped up, uncharacteristically feeble. He opened his eyes to see the beaming face of...Lily? A hand came into view and pushed her out the way.

"Stop trying to snog him Lil, it's not very ladylike." Rose sounded bemused at her cousin's rather ungainly behaviour.

"I wasn't- Gah! Never mind, come on let's go." Lily scowled as she led her troop of relatives from wherever it was that Scorpius lay. Only Rose and her father were left.

"Rosie, could you grab him a butter-beer? One for me as well." Ron asked his daughter. Rose reluctantly left for the kitchen.

"That was decent of you, saving our Hugo." Ron told him, gruffly. Scorpius smiled weakly in acceptance.

"It was the least I could do sir, I was his team's beater, with James. Couldn't have the seeker having to look out for himself." Scorpius replied, Ron grinned at him.

"You a Quidditch player then?" Ron asked. Scorpius nodded, instantly regretting it as his head throbbed painfully.

"Yeah." He winced.

"Hermione always had a thing for Quidditch players, _really good Quidditch players,_ I recall her saying, must be where she gets it from." Ron mused. Scorpius looked a little shocked, did this mean? No it couldn't. Was it possible that Rose _liked _Scorpius? In answer to his perplexed expression, Ron chuckled. "You be careful with my little girl Malfoy." He told hi quietly.

"With all gazillion of her relatives? I'll treat her like the latest shipment of Lightning 500 racing brooms." Scorpius assured Ron, who grimaced.

"You're a good lad Scorpius." With that he got up and left, meeting an empty handed Rose in the doorway, Scorpius suspected she'd been eavesdropping.

"Be careful with me? Racing brooms? Worst analogy of the century, Scor!" Rose teased. Scorpius went a little bit pink.

"You hear that did you?" Rose was cracking up, so he supposed it was a yes. She composed herself and delivered a message,

"Tea's ready, Lily says she wants you to sit next to her." Rose pulled a face. Scorpius laughed, wincing afterwards, laughing was not a good idea.

"Aw! Does ickle invalid need a hand up? Not to worry sweetums." Rose crooned mockingly, before helping him to his feet. Rose gasped as she caught sight of the back of his head.

"What does it look like?" Scorpius asked eagerly. Rose didn't reply at first. Scorpius felt her hand on the painful injury.

"Much like the rest of you." She responded eventually. Scorpius turned and gave her a winning smile.

"Dashingly handsome and awe-inspiring?" He replied, Rose shook her head sadly.

"Ah! He's delusional! This is worse than we first thought!" He'd set himself up for that one, but pretended to take offence before shooting back at her;

"You didn't tell me that it was so shiny you could see yourself in it!" Rose pouted at his last remark and flounced off into the kitchen. Scorpius walked quickly and caught up to her, he was nearly where she was going to sit down, when Lily called, in a false and sickeningly sweet tone, for him to come over. Rose gave him an evil smile and began to converse with her cousin Victoire and Teddy; Scorpius turned and feigned interest in what Lily was saying. Rose kept catching his eye, distracting him. In the end he just nodded and made agreeing noises.

"So right after tea then, just you and me? Great!" He just heard the end of what Lily was prattling on about.

"Huh?" Scorpius grunted, Lily rolled her Weasley brown eyes.

"Our walk, just a little one, up to the paddock. You agreed, you won't get out of it." Lily informed him. The last thing Scorpius wanted was to have to listen to Lily's ceaseless nattering, the only thing he really wanted to hear until his head stopped killing him was how to cure it, or Rose professing her undying love to him, but he always wanted to hear that.

"Listen, Lily, I haven't been able to talk to Rose or Al today and I was hoping I could..." Scorpius trailed off as Lily glared at him.

"You mean talk to Rose." She corrected.

"No! Al as well." Scorpius looked indignant. Lily snorted but continued eating mercifully silent.

When the meal had finished, Scorpius made to go with Rose and Al for a game of exploding snap, but Lily clutched his arm. "Come on Scor!" Al pleaded.

"I promised-"started Scorpius. Lily cut in.

"He wanted to spend some alone-time with me." She told Rose and Albus. Scorpius had never met a girl quite like Lily, not in a good way. She was selfish, rude and inconsiderate; she would do anything to achieve her goals. It was a wonder she was in Gryffindor, Scorpius supposed the hat had heard the name Potter and assumed she couldn't _possibly _be a Slytherin, with Potter and Weasley blood. Rose had always considered Lily as a sister, stuck up for her when she was in trouble, but now as her green-grey eyes latched onto Lily's arm, linked with Scorpius', she looked like she felt anything but sisterly love.

"Oh, _sorry._ We didn't realise there were arrangements." She sneered as she left the room, Albus in tow. Lily looked up at Scorpius, eyes soft and mouth puckered.

"I thought they'd never get it." Lily drawled, in what Scorpius assumed her version of a beguiling voice was.

"What is there to get?" Scorpius asked coldly. Lily looked at him as if he was joking.

"You like me. Don't shake your head! I'm the Gryffindor Princess, little Lily Potter." She told him, as if this made her irresistible. She pulled herself close to him. He pushed her away.

"I don't want you Potter."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Apparently I'm not J.K Rowling. Stupid muggles. CRUCIO. (Muhahaha).**

Rose didn't visit him that night; he stayed up nearly all night waiting for her to climb through his window. He supposed he could climb out and get her, but decided that, should Ron happen to check up on Rose, his good grace towards Scorpius would vanish pretty quickly. He shut his eyes and nodded off to a welcome sleep. He dreamt about Rose again, but this time she was silent, refusing to speak to him, not even looking up. When she eventually lifted her head, she had Lily's face, her hair fell straight and long and darkest red. She was pressing herself against him and he couldn't get loose, he could only shout for help. He felt a brief sharp pain across his face and woke up, his cheek warm where someone had slapped him. Rose Weasley stood above him, clutching a book. "Morning Rosie." He greeted her. Rose glared at him, her eyes narrowed.

"Don't call me Rosie." She spat at him. She turned and left the room with a haughty air. Scorpius didn't understand what was wrong; she knew he only called her Rosie as a joke.

"Rose! What's wrong?" He called after her, she didn't turn around, but when she reached the end of the landing, she burst into tears and ran, shoving Albus out of the way. Albus raised his eyebrows at Scorpius who was standing in the doorway in his Gryffindor pyjamas.

"Don't worry about it. She's just stressed about O., professor Longbottom came round last night and told us they were on their way." Al explained through a mouthful of what used to be a bacon sandwich. Scorpius felt a sudden anxiety take hold of him.

"O.! Oh, Merlin!" Scorpius felt his joints go weak and he sat down on Fred's bed.

"Yeah, O.. Listen I wanted to talk to you about my sister, what's going on between you two?" Al looked confused. Scorpius frowned at him.

"Nothing. I think she might erm be quite affectionate towards me, but the feeling isn't mutual, she's quite frightening to be honest." Scorpius replied honestly, feeling embarrassed as he recalled Lily's attempts to enamour him.

"Good. She's weird, so are Rosie and any other girl who obsesses over you. Personally I don't find you that attractive. Sorry mate." Albus earned a sharp clip on his ear for his troubles. Scorpius had a reputation for being vain after he didn't speak to Al and Rose for a month, just because they turned his hair purple and wouldn't remove the hex.

"Oi! Anyway what was that about Rose obsessing about me?" Scorpius asked eagerly, he hadn't missed a word. Albus looked sheepish and backed out of the room.

"Sorry Scor! Um, I have to go and ... I have to go and... Bye!"Albus dashed down the landing and down the stairs. Scorpius sighed to himself,

"I never will understand this family." He went and found some clothes and set himself up for the day.

Rose was sat at the empty table picking at the toast. Scorpius knew something must be wrong, as she usually shovelled her food down and didn't like toast unless it was dripping with butter and slathered with raspberry jam. The burnt toast in front of her was dry as a bone. "Hey Rose." Scorpius sat down next to her.

"Hey Scor." She replied, staring listlessly at the wall. Scorpius saw tear-tracks drying on her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" He asked he hated it when Rose got emotional; it made him feel very awkward and out of place. Rose sniffed a little and continued her staring contest with the wall.

"Nothing." She answered, misery coating her every letter.

"Is this about the O., because I swear Rose, if you don't pass every one of them I'll eat a flobberworm" Scorpius told her. To his surprise Rose got angry. She jumped out of her seat and screamed at him.

"WHY DOES EVERYONE THINK I ONLY WANT MY BLOODY O.? I HATE BEING SO MUCH LIKE MY MOTHER! EVERYONE EXPECTS ME TO CARE ABOUT WHAT SHE CARED ABOUT! I'M ANGRY BECAUSE OF _YOU!_ I'M ANGRY BECAUSE OF MY PRECIOUS LITTLE COUSIN, WHO GET'S EVERYTHING SHE WANTS AND MOST OF WHAT I WANT, _JUST BECAUSE SHE'S SWEET LITTLE LILY LUNA POTTER_!"

Scorpius was shocked and very confused.

"Rose, why are you angry with me?" He asked, shaken.

"Because she got you." Rose whispered before the tears came again, thick and fast. She crumpled back down onto the seat and Scorpius rested his hand on her back, unsure of what to do. Inside he was jumping for joy, Rose Weasley was jealous because she thought he was with her younger cousin, could this mean that his love wasn't completely unrequited, ugh that term made him sound so soppy and lovelorn.

"Rose I-I, I lo-"He was cut off by Rose's banshee-like shriek.

"Owls!" One hand flew to her mouth and her other gripped Scorpius' arm so tightly he was likely to have bruises. He peeled her hands off his arm and they pelted off to find Albus and discover what they'd achieved.

Scorpius was relatively pleased with his levels. He'd managed five O's (Transfiguration, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, Defence against the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies.) three Es (Potions, Astronomy and Arithmancy) and two As (Ancient Runes and History of magic). Rose had got straight O's, but didn't want to brag about it as her brilliant mother had wanted straight O's but had failed. Rose had tried to downplay it by saying that she'd taken fewer subjects than Hermione, but that was hardly true. Al had got a little higher than average, and this was cause for celebration as he had missed a chunk of lessons as there was someone trying to kidnap him and his siblings and he had been on the run. Once they were alone Rose enveloped Scorpius in a rib-breaking hug. "I told you I wasn't my mother!" She crowed, quietly though. Scorpius tried to loosen her grip and they found themselves centimetres away from each other's faces. Scorpius' pulse was fast and loud in his ears.

Rose blushed. They were very, very close. He shut his eyes and...

"What _are _you doing?" An incredulous voice came from the door. They let go of each other and turned to face Albus.

"Nothing, just hugging!" Rose replied brightly and skipped out of the room leaving Scorpius with Albus, who was crying with laughter.

"You are so lucky that was me Scor." He wheezed between laughs.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer and apology: I'm not J.K Rowling, but if I was I'd write a book about next gen or the marauders, because I'd be J.K freakin Rowling (little splash of AVPS there). My apology is that I haven't written for two days! I am ashamed of myself.**

Scorpius felt a little dazed after his encounter with Rose. He must have looked it too, as Al confronted him about it that night whilst the others were asleep. "Scor, are you going to sort things out, or just carry on getting all girly and flustered every time you even brush past Rose, then going all funny if she hugs you, well whatever you were doing before I interrupted you?" Albus asked. Scorpius sighed and scuffed his shoe on the edge of his bed.

"I don't know, she was emotional then, her senses were obscured by that. On the other hand she did get jealous of Lily when, well, you know."

"You're usually so cocky! I hate it when you go all mushy on me. If you start seeing her, will you stop going weird?" Albus whined. Scorpius laughed at him, but shot back evilly,

"What about your mystery correspondence? Who is it you've been owling this summer?" Scorpius had heard from Rose that Albus had been writing to someone all summer and hadn't made a fool of himself by flirting with their Aunt Fleur's veela and part veela relatives like he usually did, so she thought it might be a girl.

"Who told you about that? Oh yeah. I forgot, Rosie-Posie. You've been owling her all summer. Dearest darling Rose..." Albus mocked, he seemed to be avoiding answering. Scorpius felt his cheeks grow hot at Al's mockery, but ploughed on with his quest to find out about Albus' unknown pen-friend and detract attention from his feelings for Rose.

"Stop trying to change the subject, Potter. I tell you everything but you won't tell me who you're owling, I'm not suggesting it's a girl or anything" Scorpius smirked at his friend's (almost successful) attempt to change the subject. Albus was obviously mentally debating whether or not to tell him and didn't seem to realise that Scorpius had originally changed the subject, so Scorpius took advantage of the situation and put a poking hex (a hex he'd created with the help of Rose the year before.) on Albus to encourage him.

"Alright! Alright! I have been owling someone, no one you'd know. I'll introduce you when we get back to school if you undo that hex. Please don't tell Rosie, she'd only go and tell James, which you won't do or I'll tell Rose you like her and talk about her in your sleep. _Would you please undo this bloody hex?_" Al begged. Scorpius gave him a malicious smile and replied;

"Don't know the counter curse. Only Rose does." Albus gave him the same smile, making Scorpius nervous; it was a very bad sign.

"Well I'll just have to get her. It's just as well because I have something to tell her. Something concerning you..." Scorpius was in a tight situation, he genuinely didn't know the counter curse, and Rose really was the only one who knew, but Albus would tell her if she came. _Was that really a bad thing?_ A voice deep in the back of his mind asked him. Yes, yes, it was a bad thing. You don't tell a girl you like her, it makes you look stupid, thought Scorpius. _So you haven't already made a fool of yourself? _ Scorpius was really starting to dislike this voice; it seemed to pick out all his weak spots.

"When you've stopped thinking, UN-HEX me!" Albus cut in.

"Oh, erm, yeah, okay." He'd seen Rose do it many times whilst they were experimenting, he should at least try.

"Oppherius!" He mimicked the movement Rose made with her wand when she had showed him once. It didn't work, well it stopped the jabbing but Albus suddenly became flat as parchment.

"Scorpius! What have you done? We're going to have to get Rose now!" Albus howled. Scorpius went white, not only would Al tell Rose, but he'd look like an incompetent fool.

"What do you need me for?" Scorpius swivelled round and saw Rose stood in the doorway; her hands on her hips looking just like her grandmother did when she was telling someone off.

"That _idiot _over there went and hexed me, then refused to go and get you to undo the hex and tried to himself, and then he made this happen!" Albus was almost purple with rage but by some miracle Rose was giggling as though it was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. Scorpius was giddy with relief; he began to giggle a little himself. Rose clipped him lightly on the ear and he tried to look remorseful.

"You are so _stupid _sometimes! I told you to come and get me if you decide to use it!" She chided him. Scorpius gazed sheepishly at her; she was still smiling, so it was probably okay.

"He blackmailed me!" Scorpius protested. Rose turned to her angry looking cousin.

"Is this true? Did you blackmail Scor?"

"He hexed me!" Albus replied indignantly.

"What did he blackmail you about?" Rose asked, suddenly very curious. Scorpius' mind was screaming for him not to say it however his mouth had other ideas.

"You." He blurted out, regretting it mid word. Rose raised her eyebrows.

"Me? Why?"

"Can someone please sort me out?" Albus complained.

"SHUT UP!" Rose and Scorpius both whisper-shouted. Scorpius went for it, after all he was a Gryffindor, daring nerve and chivalry set Gryffindors apart.

"HeknowsthatIlikeyouandhe''sitbut-" Rose cut him off with a kiss. Scorpius was so shocked his eyes were wide open.

"WILL SOMEONE DO THE COUNTER HEX?" Albus interrupted the couple as they stood staring at each other. Rose pulled herself together and waved her wand, returning him to his normal size. Scorpius sometimes wondered how he managed to befriend her, him with his 'son of a death-eater' reputation and her with her talents. She waltzed out without a backwards glance, Scorpius stared after her.

"Weirdest night of my life." Albus muttered, seemingly to himself as Scorpius gazed at the empty landing.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Once again I must face the 'facts' and say that I'm not J.K Rowling. Yeah, yeah, that's what the muggles think.**

Scorpius believed it must be something in the food that Rose's grandmother gave them that made him so confused when he woke up. Today was the last day of the long, golden summer holidays and he was going to Diagon Alley with the Potter-Weasley families. They were going to meet Scorpius' parents there for lunch, give them a chance to see him before the start of term and to heal over some of the adults old wounds.

"Scor? Are you awake? Are you decent?" Al hollered up the stairs. Scorpius was accustomed to the sheer noise of the Burrow; the need to shout if you want to be heard was so different to the stony silences of Malfoy Manor.

"Yeah!" Scorpius yelled back.

"Come down then! The others are going! We're going with Dad!" Al called. Scorpius raced down the creaky wooden stairs to the fire place. Rose, Albus, Harry and Lily waited for him.

"Come on then." Harry led them out of the room. Scorpius was puzzled; surely they were going to use the floo network. Rose grabbed him, laughing.

"Uncle Harry hates Floo powder. Incident when he was younger, he doesn't entirely trust it so we always go by car. It's a muggle way of getting to places." She explained. Scorpius didn't entirely understand, but followed her all the same. He found himself being shoved into a metal cage with wheels and seats inside.

"This is a car. It's nice really; you might feel a bit sick first time though." Al informed him. He nodded as Rose slipped in beside him, his heart rate increasing at her closeness.

"Do your belt Scor." Rose instructed him. Scorpius checked his trousers and she sighed, exasperated.

"No you idiot, your seat belt. Here." Rose leant across him and pulled a black strap over his body.

"Watch it Rosie, you don't want to get too close after last night, he might get ideas." Albus warned.

"What happened last night?" Rose enquired. Scorpius was crushed, after all his endless circling of her, his fear of her reaction, was finally over, she didn't remember!

"You kissed Scor." Albus informed her. Scorpius felt Rose's body heat up; he could tell without looking at her that her face would be scarlet with embarrassment.

"I thought it was a dream, sorry. So you really did hex Al with our jabbing hex? Did it work?" Typical Rose, distracted by spells and magic.

"Yeah it did, trust me." Al replied. Scorpius was surprised that Rose didn't take out some parchment and write it down.

"Wow. Um, Scor?" Rose was suddenly bashful, nervous of him.

"Yeah." He answered.

"It, well, it wasn't bad, you know, erm, kissing you." Rose stared at her lap as she said this. Scorpius' heart leapt.

"Weren't so bad yourself, Weasley." Scorpius tried not to sound like he was having a small heart attack.

"Oh please, like you didn't go to sleep all smiley and soppy." Albus snorted at Scorpius. Scorpius ignored him and interlaced his fingers with Rose's. She didn't look up at him but he saw her smile reflected in the glass of the window. He also saw Albus pretending to be sick, but that was less important. The doors of the car opened and Harry and Lily sat in their seats. Lily flung herself into the car seat and turned to face Scorpius.

"Hi, Scorpy." She trilled. She seemed to be in high spirits. Harry winced at his daughter's behaviour.

"Lily, calm down." He tried to control her, for the saviour of the world he had very little control over his exuberant daughter. She rolled her eyes at him.

"I was thinking about the other night. I know you didn't mean what you said. Please don't give people I hold so close to me false hope." She looked pointedly at Rose and Scorpius' hands.

"Lily." Her father warned.

"I was just being honest and keeping my cousin's best interests at heart. She just isn't cut out for being in such a high pressure relationship; she's just dozy-Rosie." Lily drawled. Rose kept a tight hold on both of Scorpius' hands to stop him cursing Lily.

"LILY! Have you been taking lessons on the art of subtlety from your uncles? If you can't say something nice, don't say it at all." Harry scolded his daughter. Lily's charms had little effect on her father; he often seemed to prefer Rose's softer, funnier personality to his daughter's confident, ambitious air.

"Gah! Fine." Lily sat back down properly, pouting. Scorpius caught Rose's eye and they both had to fight back laughter. Albus was shaking his head and grinning.

Scorpius and Rose went to get the necessary equipment for the year ahead with Albus. Once they'd bought all the necessary items, they took their traditional trip to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Albus went to check on George and see if he could get anything for free, he was then meeting a friend and agreed to catch up with them at Dobby's where the Weasley-Potters was going for lunch with Scorpius' family, leaving Rose alone with Scorpius. Scorpius could feel the tension in the atmosphere.

"RoseIloveyou." Scorpius' long unspoken words came out garbled.

"What?"

"Rose, I've always had this connection with you. I thought it was the arguing when we were younger, then friendship, then in about fourth year I realised that I had a bit of a thing for you. In fifth year Albus found out then he went away and you were lonely and we'd always been close but all of a sudden you were there, permanently there. I realised I loved you. Then last night you kissed me and today you held my hand and what do you want?" After his long speech he noticed how much more sense it had made in his head. Rose looked a little confused, then asked him,

"Are you asking me to be your, eurgh I hate this word, _girlfriend_?" Her tone was unreadable.

"Yeah?"

"Was that a statement or a question Scor?" Rose teased.

"Yes I am asking a question, will you just answer me!" Scorpius was exasperated.

"Yes I will be your 'girlfriend'. " Rose answered. She added, her voice softer,

"I love you Scor. I have for a while you know." Scorpius leant in towards the girl he loved, her warm breath irregular on his cheek.

"FOUND YOU! You're late. Come on, what were you doing?" Albus came through the door of the shop. Scorpius groaned and murmured so that only Rose could hear.

"I think the world might be against us."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I'm not J.K Rowling... OBLIVIATE! MUAHAHAHA **

Albus led them down the bustling cobbled streets of Diagon Alley; they passed fellow Hogwarts students who looked scandalised at the sight of Scorpius' hand in Rose's. Some, however looked unsurprised, Emma Fowler, a Hufflepuff sixth year, one of Rose's best friends laughed at them.

"Thanks for the confidence boost, Fowler." Rose muttered sarcastically at her.

"What? Gabby nearly died of whatever that strange emotion is when she curls up and starts cackling maniacally when she spotted you in Weasley's wizard wheezes." Gabby was another close friend of Rose's, a slightly insane Ravenclaw who Scorpius had been scared of ever since an incident in their second year when he'd been left alone with her and her pet rabbit Bibby. He shuddered at the memory.

"Still not forgotten Bibby?" Rose whispered to him as they said goodbye and followed Albus on towards the cafe. Scorpius looked dark.

"I'll never forget it. What second year charms their sweet, fluffy baby rabbit to breathe fire?" Scorpius replied. Rose laughed and Scorpius smiled, forgetting all about fire breathing bunnies. He stared at her, as her face fell a little and she looked nervous.

"Scor, what if it all goes wrong? What if they argue?" She asked him quietly. Scorpius put his arm around her, pulling her close to him. She was tense and he realised he was shaking; he had been worried about it all day.

"I don't know. Fingers crossed, hey?" He tried to make a joke about it and she gave him a nervous laugh. She had taught him all the muggle suspicions her grandparents had the term before, his favourite had been fingers crossed. Al had been in hiding then, after the death threats from ex-death eaters and their grown up children, so he didn't know why Scorpius cracked up every time Rose or Scorpius crossed their fingers or repeated a muggle saying. They had reached the door of Dobby's, a restaurant run by free house elves, inside, occupying a long table was a sea of red heads, occasionally interrupted by a dark haired potter or silvery blonde Weasley-Delacour. Right at the end, in between Ginny Potter and George Weasley, were Scorpius' parents. Taking a deep breath Rose pushed the door open and dragged Scorpius through.

"Hello Scor." His father greeted him, a twinkle of laughter in his eyes. Scorpius frowned, wondering what might have caused this. Draco notice his son's bewildered expression. He nodded at Rose's hand in Scorpius'. Scorpius felt his pale cheeks turn hot and red.

"H-hi, Dad." Scorpius stuttered. He smiled at his mother, who looked a little overwhelmed as Rose's Aunt Fleur gushed at her about France, where Astoria had lived for a while before she married Scorpius' father.

"Nothing going on between you, eh?" Draco looked pleased with himself. Scorpius' red cheeks deepened in colour and he mumbled incoherently. Rose kicked him underneath the table, for the pretty and gentle flower she was named after, she was really rather vicious at times. Scorpius winced as her foot made contact with his shin.

"Does Ron know?" Scorpius felt dread settle in his stomach, they would have to tell Rose's family at some point. Rose was obviously thinking along the same lines as her face had a look of shock on it.

"I'll take that as a no. You're going to have to aren't you." Draco stated. Scorpius groaned at the prospect, imagining the reaction of Rose's father, who was glaring down the table at him as if he could read his thoughts. He sank low in his chair. Rose's hand was limp in his; they slipped their hands under the table out of sight. Draco chuckled at his son.

"Anything exciting happen?" Astoria asked, finally free of Fleur's constant chatter. Rose smiled at her.

"I'm Rose, Rose Weasley I'm, er, I'm, well..." Rose trailed off and Draco whispered in his wife's ear and she gave them a knowing look.

"Ah, _that _Rose." She raised her eyebrows at them. Before she could say anymore, Ginny, Rose's aunt and the famous captain of the Holyhead Harpies, interrupted.

"Ah! Astoria! You were in my year at Hogwarts! I'm afraid due to an act of bravery, Scorpius has sustained an injury. It's nothing too serious, but you may want to have a look. Show them the bludger bruise." Scorpius stood up and turned round to show his parents the ugly purple lump on the back of his blonde head. Astoria gasped and Draco winced.

"How did you manage that?" Draco asked incredulously. Scorpius shrugged and began to explain.

"Um, I was playing Quidditch and I got in the way of a bludger."

"Saving my little brother." Rose interjected and Scorpius scowled at her.

"What?"She complained.

"It was very noble of him, we're all grateful." Hermione had joined the conversation. Astoria smiled,

"I blame those Gryffindors. I'm Astoria Malfoy; I was in Ravenclaw the year below you. My sister Daphne Greengrass, well she's Daphne Nott now, was a Slytherin in your year." Hermione looked impressed,

"You'll know our friend Luna Scamander then; she was Lovegood of course back at Hogwarts."

"I know Luna! So lovely! Do you remember...?" Astoria and the rest of the adults began to reminisce about the old days. Rose caught Scorpius' eye and he grinned. Their hands, separated when Rose had introduced herself to Scorpius' mother, found each other.

By the time the adults had stopped talking, it was late evening and they returned to the burrow. Albus was carefully and with the infamous Weasley male subtlety wasn't leaving them alone with each other. Scorpius was mentally preparing himself for the grilling he'd get from Rose's cousins he was sharing with. He'd pass Rose in the corridors and they'd brush hands or just catch each other's eye, it was strange, Scorpius felt, how last night they'd have blushed and avoided each other's gaze, and now they were a little more confident. Scorpius knew he had a foolish, sappy grin on his face from the way James was cracking up every time he saw him, but tonight he really didn't care.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: There have been some nasty rumours going round that I'm not J.K Rowling. I suppose it's a little bit true but… OMWG (Oh my Wizard God) I can't believe … just… OMWG.**

An excited Al woke Scorpius up, after a long sleep. Al shook his shoulders hard and when Scorpius opened his eyes Al was levitating a cup of water over his head.

"Al! Don't you dare … No! ALBUS!" Scorpius cried as his best friend began to tip the water over him, grinning evilly.

"What was that for?" Scorpius whined. Al shrugged and sat on Scorpius' legs.

"If you want me to get up, shift your useless backside."

"Ah Scor, you're so eloquent when you're angry." Al patted his friend on the head. Scorpius glowered at him.

"Grandma says it's time you got up and came down for breakfast. She also wants to know what kind of sandwiches you want and whether you've packed yet." Scorpius remembered what day it was. September the first and the start of his sixth year at Hogwarts. He groaned and sat up.

"Shift your useless backside Potter." Scorpius spat at his friend for the second time.

"Ooh resorted to surnames now have we, Malfoy?" Albus teased.

"Leave me to get dressed alone Al." Scorpius grumbled.

"Don't worry I will. Are you going to tell Ron today? I think the family needs a little excitement, everyone's gushing over James and Fred starting seventh year." Al called to Scorpius as he left. Without answering Scorpius slammed the door shut. He really would have to tell Ron soon, but not today, it would be an extraordinarily bad start to the year if he came in with half his limbs missing. He threw on his clothes, brushed his teeth and hair before bounding down the old wooden stairs to the kitchen.

"Hey Scor." Rose mumbled sleepily as he sat down beside her. They were the only ones in the kitchen; everyone else was asleep or packing.

"Morning Rose. You excited?" Scorpius greeted her. She gave him a look of disbelief.

"Do I look excited? I'm exhausted! My dear and darling cousins were interrogating me 'til the early hours of this morning. You wouldn't believe some of the questions they asked. Lucy wanted to know what colour you'd be if you were a pygmy puff." Rose informed him.

"Ah. Tell her I'd be… hmm… purple." Scorpius answered. Rose frowned.

"Why purple?"

"More manly than pink." Scorpius answered, with what he considered flawless logic.

"Right. I'm not sure if I want to go down that route. Did my sweet and gentle cousins interview you?" Rose asked. Scorpius shuddered at the memory of the night before, the threats he'd got about what would happen if he hurt her were quite spectacular. Before then he'd never heard of the full body Jelly Jinx, or many of the curses and hexes they'd told him about.

"Yeah, by the way, what does the burning gut hex do?" Scorpius asked in what he thought was a nonchalant tone. Rose's eyes narrowed.

"The little… Did they threaten you? If they dare I'll demonstrate the effects that particular he has on Freddie. He's really badly affected by it." Rose was veritably seething at the behaviour of her cousins.

"They just want to protect you; it's kind of nice of them." Scorpius tried to calm her down but she wasn't really listening. She stood up and cleared away her plate.

"I'm off to get ready. See you in a bit." Rose pecked him on the cheek as she swept out of the room. Scorpius' stomach did a little flip and he gazed out of the doorway. He shook himself and ran up the stairs to pack his trunk.

The familiar train station bustled with muggles and wizards alike as they fought to get to the pillar that separated platform 9 ¾ from the rest of the station. Scorpius managed to get to the pillar and ran at it, Rose behind him. He was always nervous that the barrier would seal and he'd just crash into it, but as always he passed through easily. The steam from the scarlet train filled the little platform, heaving with wizarding families. He said his goodbyes and listened to the warnings from the Weasleys and Potters about behaviour and studying hard. He got a look from Ron that warned him to stay away from his daughter. When he and Rose finally managed to get on the train they were faced with another problem, compartments. They'd lost Al in the station and neither of them particularly wanted to share a compartment with Hugo and Lily. They pushed through the crowded corridors until they spotted Al's owl, Hedwig II. They opened the compartment door quietly and found Al with his mouth firmly attached to a brown haired girl's face.

"Is he eating her?" Rose whispered. Scorpius laughed as silently as he could and they sat down, trying not to be noticed. They were sat laughing noiselessly for a good few minutes before the couple broke apart.

"Nice lipstick you have their, Al." Rose smirked at her cousin who was staring t them, horrified at what he'd been caught doing.

"H-how long have you been, d-did you?" Albus stammered. His eyes were wide and he stumbled over his words.

"Oh, not long." Rose lied. Scorpius snorted and the girl scowled at him.

"Hi Jeanette." Scorpius greeted the girl. She'd had an obsessive crush on him for a while the year before. From the amount of lipstick on Albus' face she'd got over it.

"You know Nettie don't you, she's a Hufflepuff, we have Herbology with her class." Albus was no longer looking at them; instead he was staring intently at his scruffy trainers. Rose and Scorpius were clinging to each other for support, they'd both almost collapsed.

"So how long have you two been, er, _together?_" Rose asked, in between giggles.

"Since the end of last year. Bus-Bus came back to school to find his two best friends had found feelings for each other. He didn't think you'd want to be around him so much. He helped me get over some of my own problems and we got together." Jeanette spoke for the first time. Rose and Scorpius exchanged guilty looks.

"How come you didn't tell us?" Rose sounded a little hurt. It was Albus' turn to look guilty.

"You don't understand. What would James say?" He told them. Rose gave him an angry glare.

"You don't need to be ashamed! It's not as if your families hate each other! Think about the stick me and Scor'll got and what Dad's going to say. Granddad may well disown me for being with a pureblood, a _Malfoy._" Rose hissed.

"I'M NOT ASHAMED!" Albus hollered.

At that moment the compartment door slid open and James, along with the band of Weasleys and various friends that usually accompanied him.

"What aren't you ashamed of?"James asked.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I'm not J.K Rowling. I own nothing. See, a great Witch can lie through the affects of Veritaserum, I just did. **

James eyed his younger brother knowingly.

"Ah, now I see what you're not ashamed of. Your taste in make up." He patted his brother on the head, earning him a punch.

"Oh leave poor Bus-Bus alone." Jeanette frowned at James, who was now in hysterics.

"Bus-Bus! It's gold I tell you, gold! If it makes you feel any better I'm sure Rosie will call Scor, 'Scorpykins.'" James howled, along with his relatives and Scorpius.

"I'll call her Rosie pie." Scorpius offered. Albus shot him a look of pure venom; he had obviously expected Scorpius to be on his side.

"Thanks for the support mate." He growled. Jeanette stood up and, pulling Albus with her, flounced out of the compartment.

"Well, we'd love to stay, but tarala." James turned and led his cousins and sister out of the compartment. Scorpius and Rose were left alone in a confined space.

"Well this isn't awkward." Rose remarked, sarcastically. Scorpius grinned; he could count on Rose not to turn soppy and lovey-dovey. Occasionally she could be blunt or even mean, though this was usually only in self defence. Scorpius put his arm around her, glad that she didn't tense or pull away. He played with her red hair, messing it up and styling it.

The train came to a halt at Hogsmeade station, the sights and sounds that he'd known for so long were welcoming. He'd enjoyed the Burrow but he felt freer here, Ron's acceptance was a little fragile, though it was understandable. He was sure he'd be almost the same with any other boy Rose was so close to. _Almost._ That stupid voice in the back of his mind spoke up again. Yeah well Ron's wife had been tortured by Scorpius' great aunt, she still had scars, you could understand why a man who'd been through as much as Ron would be hostile towards the son of his school-nemesis, especially if he'd shown such interest in his daughter.

"Have you ever wondered where Hogwarts is?" Rose's voice brought him out of his thoughts and back down to earth. Scorpius shrugged.

"We could ask next Hogsmeade weekend." Scorpius suggested. He already knew that Hogwarts was somewhere in Scotland, probably near Inverness. He only suggested it to confirm that they'd be going together. They usually did anyway, though sometimes Rose would go with her other friends.

"Genius." Rose smiled and kissed his cheek. He felt his stomach flip like it had in the kitchen. It wasn't like she'd actually _kissed _him, like they'd kissed that night in Al's room; it was just that she didn't need to. All the same he bent his head and she rolled her eyes, kissing him properly.

"Idiot." She smiled again.

"You called me a genius not one minute ago!" Scorpius protested.

"Yeah well, you're a bright bumble." Rose informed him. He laughed at her strange way of putting things. The year before, she'd pulled him into a broom cupboard, only to warn him that Fred and Roxanne, trouble maker twins, were planning a prank that would involve him, as he was the only person walking down the corridor towards them at that time. She'd accused him of looking at her like a 'disappointing sweet." He had been a little hopeful when she'd pulled him into the dark broom cupboard, often used by Hogwarts couples. Rose waved her hand in front of his vacant face, bringing him out of his memories.

"Earth to Scor? Are you in there?"

"Wha-? Oh yeah, um, remembering the broom cupboard thing last year." He told her truthfully, blushing slightly. Rose laughed and blushed a little as well. She changed the subject quickly and Scorpius was grateful. She could be blunt, but she could also be thoughtful.

"So, what lessons have you dropped?" She asked. Scorpius smiled showing his gratitude for her rapid distraction from that particularly complicated part of his life, the months where his best friend Al had been taken out of school indefinitely and he'd realised he'd fallen for his other best friend, Rose.

"Um, Divination, Arithmancy and History of Magic, you?" He replied. Rose answered immediately,

"Arithmancy, History of Magic and Ancient Runes." Scorpius was surprised she was dropping any at all and voiced this. She sighed and became melancholy.

"I wanted to have more of a life, you know? I was fed up of being perfect." She responded. Scorpius teased her.

"Who said you were perfect?" Rose pouted at his remark.

"You did. When I ended it with Scamander a few months back." Scorpius' eyes widened, when Rose cried he had little or no control over his speech. Rose was amused by his expression.

"Come on then, get your robes on, we're almost there." Rose chuckled.

The Gryffindor table was the noisiest and it appeared the messiest. The new first years looked terrified as food flew over their heads whilst they nibbled at the foods they'd chosen. The Weasley/Potters and their various friends led the noise, all except Albus that was. Albus stared across the room at the Hufflepuff table; Scorpius assumed he was gazing at 'Nettie'. James slapped his younger brother. Bringing him to his senses.

"Look Al, we know you like slobbering over your girlfriend, but would you live up to our mother's surname and eat like a Weasley?" Albus glowered at his brother.

"It's alright for you. You don't know about inter-house love." He sighed. His relatives and friends who heard this snorted with laughter.

"Yes he does! When he ran out of Gryffindor girls he moved on to other houses." Fred stuck up for James. Albus glared at anyone who laughed at this.

"Oh come on Bus-Bus, eat something. Look treacle tart. You love treacle tart." Rose reasoned with him.

"Ok then Rosie-pie." Albus sneered back at Rose who smacked him lightly on the side of the head.

Once they'd eaten their fill, the elderly Professor McGonagall stood and raised her wand to her throat, amplifying her voice so it boomed across the great hall. All the children fell silent.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts. I have a few notices to give, first is that our caretaker, and for all first years, he's a ghost, has asked that you do not duel in the corridors. As ever, the forbidden forest is, obviously, forbidden if you are unaccompanied. And that does not mean without fellow students, it means without a member of staff. No unapproved Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products, this includes any creatures you may have bought, they will be inspected tomorrow at lunchtime. Your timetables are on your beds. Goodnight."

James sighed. "I love Auntie Minnie's speeches; they're so short compared to Dad's." Scorpius remembered when he'd stayed at the Potter's for a week. It was true; Mr. Potter was full of speeches. Rose laughed and got up.

"Well, as much as I'd love to stay up talking about Uncle Harry's speeches. I'm off to bed. Night." She hugged her cousins and Scorpius, she held onto him a little longer, she could hardly kiss him in front of Hugo, who would tell her father before you could say "Quidditch."

"Night night. See you in the morning; meet me in the common room, yeah?" She murmured into his ear. He nodded to show that he would come. Rose beamed and skipped off down the hall to join her dorm-mates, Tasha and Betty.

"Scor, word of advice, try not to look at her like that, her brother will assume..." Fred whispered to him. Scorpius grinned sheepishly and headed up to the Gryffindor tower to his nice warm bed.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Not J.K Rowling, oh sorry can't hear you over the sound of my sneakoscopes.**

The weeks flew by too fast. Soon it was Halloween and Rose and Scorpius went, for the first time, as a couple, to Hogsmeade. Scorpius was correct about the location of Hogwarts. It had obviously been bothering Rose for a long time as although she seemed a little cheesed off that Scorpius hadn't told her, she was evidently pleased she'd found out. When they returned, only a couple of hours late, the feast had already begun. Rose groaned.

"If Hugo's in there, he's going to kill you." She informed him.

"Me?"

"Well you're the one leading me astray aren't you?" She replied cheekily. Scorpius chuckled.

"You tell my parents that." He countered. Truthfully his parents liked Rose. His mother was a little wary of him seeming so settled with Rose at such a young age. Rose paled slightly.

"Do they really not like me?" She asked quietly.

"Course they like you Rose." He reassured her hastily. Her face brightened instantly.

"Are you hungry?" Scorpius asked her. He knew the answer, Rose was always hungry. Ginny had told him over Easter that she'd inherited it from her father. When he'd asked about her temper, Rose had kicked him. Harry laughed and the Potter family answered 'Both' in unison.

"Of course I'm hungry. I'm a Weasley." Rose answered back. Scorpius grinned at her. He led her along the corridor to the kitchens. The door had changed since the times of their parents. Scorpius knocked and a small, shy house elf greeted them.

"Hello, what's your name? My name is Rose Weasley, Gryffindor house, pleased to meet you." Rose greeted the little elf, who promptly opened the door wider and ushered them in. All they had to do know was prove their respect for other magical creatures. It was always best if Rose or Albus introduced herself, the name Malfoy was still evil in the eyes of many, especially the elves, who had heard of their treatment of war hero Dobby.

"My name is Pippy, I know you Rose Wheezy." Pippy replied. Rose smiled at her. She put her arm around Scorpius.

"This is Scor; he's a Gryffindor like me. He saved Hugo Weasley, my brother, I'm pretty sure you'll know him." Rose introduced Scorpius to Pippy. Scorpius crouched down to the elf; offering her his hand.

"Pleased to meet you Pippy."

"You is a Malfoy. Malfoy is bad." The elf stated. Scorpius couldn't believe it. He felt the anger boil up inside him, his good mood had evaporated.

"Can we go please Rose?" He asked, almost silently. Rose slipped her hand through his.

"It was nice to meet you Pippy, me and my _boyfriend_ have to go." Rose made sure the elf noticed the word _boyfriend._ The elf's expression changed as they swept up the corridor. They made their way up to the common room where they sat on the well worn, squashy sofa. Rose leant back on Scorpius, who wrapped his arms around her. She gazed up at him.

"I'm sorry." He murmured.

"What for?" Rose asked, perplexed.

"'Bout the food, the elf, everything. Sorry I'm a Malfoy." Scorpius apologised.

"Stop being such a drama queen. It's not your fault and you know it. Plus, I've still got Honeydukes stuff." Rose replied, in a no nonsense manner. She had always expressed a dislike of Scorpius' dramatics, but he only did it when he was emotional.

"Sorry. What kind of sweets have you got?" Scorpius snapped out of his mood.

"Chocolate Frogs, Fizzing Whizzbees, Liquorice wands, Bertie Botts." Rose rootled in the bag she'd been carrying.

"I really do love you, Rose." Scorpius told her as he gazed at the hoard of sweets.

"Hmm, or my food." She teased. They tucked in to the brightly coloured mess.

At three in the morning, the constant chatter that had bounced between them all night began to slow.

"I should get back to the dorm, Beth, Tasha and Clara will be dying of anticipation." Rose rolled her eyes as she stood up.

Scorpius got up as well.

"Albus will want to know what I was doing with his baby cousin at three in the morning." He teased her.

"Especially if you put it like that. He'll get completely the wrong idea and hex you into next term." Rose retorted. She gave him a quick kiss and skipped off to her dorm, where, predictably, Scorpius heard she was met by an onslaught of questions. The door that separated the girl's dorms from the common room slammed shut and Scorpius turned and walked off to his own dorm. He wasn't met by questions, or even hexes. He was met by a loud snoring and the sight of his best friend's empty bed.

"That's weird. He's usually fast asleep in bed, where is he at this time in the morning?" Scorpius wondered aloud. The silence that met him was unnerving. He ignored every basic instinct that screamed that there was something very wrong. He got changed into his soft pyjamas and curled up in his scarlet sheets. He reasoned with the instincts that urged him to go and find Albus, he assumed he'd just gone to the toilet or to the kitchens. Or he was with Jeanette. Yeah, that was it; he was with creepy Jeanette in a broom cupboard somewhere in the school. Scorpius yawned and shut his eyes, reliving the memory of his evening.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Am I J.K Rowling? No. Do I want to be J.K Rowling? Yes. Am I running out of funny disclaimers? Yes.**

Scorpius woke up with a strange feeling. Something was different. He opened his eyes and let the sunlight blind him. He checked his watch, it was nearly nine. Usually he was woken at six by Albus and his bizarre love of mornings. He looked over at his best friend's bed, and just as it had been the night before it was un-slept in. Scorpius knew something was wrong. He had to find out what was going on, as was the Ravenclaw curiosity that he'd inherited from his mother. He threw on his uniform and brushed his teeth. He cast his patronus and muttered the incantation that could make it carry a message, Rose had taught him in their fourth year. He spoke to the silver fox that raced around him. "Rose, meet me at the fire in the common room." He let the fox speed off in the direction of the girl's dormitory. It was only when he watched it sneak into the dormitories that he realised how lucky it was that she hadn't been in the great hall eating her breakfast with her vast family. A familiar silver dog came bounding into his dorm. It was large and shaggy, so the voice, Rose's voice that came out of it was always a little shock.

"You are so lucky none of my cousins were with me! I'm already here." She told him. He grimaced a little at her scolding. He dashed out of his dorm to meet her. She looked tired; her hair was even more out of control than normal.

"You look terrible." He told her as she scowled in his direction.

"My usual alarm clock didn't wake me up. And thanks for that."

"Sorry, still sort of in best-friend mode. I can tell you why your alarm clock didn't wake you up, because he didn't come back to the dorm last night." Scorpius informed her. Rose smiled at him and he knew he was forgiven.

"You look a mess too; the answer to your problem is a hairbrush. And what do you mean Albus didn't come back?" She retorted.

"Ha-ha, and by Albus didn't come back I mean exactly that, his bed wasn't slept in and he wasn't in the dorm last night." Scorpius replied. Rose looked anxious. He could tell a plan was forming behind her eyes.

"Let's skip first lesson. It's only muggle studies; I can teach you everything you need to know." Rose suggested. Scorpius opened his mouth wide in mock horror at Rose's idea. Truthfully he knew he'd do anything to make sure Albus was okay, but Rose never skipped lessons, ever.

"Never thought I'd see the day Rose Weasley suggested bunking off." Scorpius teased. She sighed and put her hand on her heart.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." They laughed.

"Where do you reckon he is?" Rose asked. Scorpius thought for a moment, where would he be?

"We could check out the broom cupboards first?" Rose gasped at him. Her eyebrows were arched in mock scandal.

"What are you suggesting Scor?" She whispered in 'disgust'. He rolled his eyes; he really should have seen that one coming.

"Shut up." He blushed at her words. It still felt peculiar, them being _together_. He loved it, he just felt as if it was a dream, any moment now he would wake up in his room at Malfoy manor, ready for a week at the Burrow.

"I know what you mean; we should probably check the great hall first, so it doesn't turn out that he was just in James' dorm or something." Rose was half way out of the portrait hole as she spoke. _Yeah, or something,_ Scorpius thought to himself. He knew Jeanette was, as his mother would put it, 'a girl of questionable morals'. He didn't think Albus was that kind of boy, but he knew Jeanette was that kind of girl. He wrinkled his nose in disgust. Rose laughed at his expression.

"Or something." She nodded, reading his expression like a book, she clambered out of the common room and he followed her.

The great hall was buzzing with conversation, laughter mingling with arguments, but they didn't spot Albus anywhere. The scoured the Gryffindor table, asking anyone who knew Albus if they had any idea of his whereabouts. They combed the Hufflepuff table; Rose interrogated everyone they had ever spoken to. They even scanned the Ravenclaw table, with no success. Finally they flopped down onto the Slytherin table, their last resort. They had some good friends in Slytherin, much to Rose's father's dismay.

"Cassie, have you seen Al? We've been searching everywhere and Scor says he didn't go back to his dorm last night." Rose asked a giggly Slytherin girl. Scorpius groaned a little as he recognised a particularly flirtatious ex girlfriend of his.

"No. I heard a rumour that you and Scor were going out, is that true?" Cassie asked, much more interested at the prospect of gossip. Rose nodded.

"Yeah, only don't tell my brother." She answered wearily. She gave Scorpius a look of horror as Cassie's blue eyes lit up and she opened her mouth to speak. Cassie was friendly and sweet, but she could talk for hours.

"Er, Rose shall we get going; we need to talk to Professor Goldstein before Charms." He lied. Rose smiled, half in gratitude at Scorpius' lie, half in 'apology' to Cassie.

"Bye Cass, see you in potions, yeah?" Rose called over her shoulder as they made their way out of the great hall.

"That's him!" Rose whispered excitedly. Scorpius and Rose were hiding in a cramped alcove; watching the corridor for a mess of untidy dark hair. Sure enough the familiar form of Albus Potter was walking towards their alcove.

"He's going to see us!" Rose panicked. Scorpius had a half formulated plan and acted on it. He grabbed Rose and kissed her, he pushed her (rather more forcefully than he wanted to) against the wall. She had tried to push him away from her at first, in shock, but eventually stopped resisting. The familiar footfall had turned away, towards the room of requirement and Scorpius let go off Rose, apologising profusely and trying not to show quite how much he'd enjoyed it.

"What was that for you idiot, anyone could have seen us." Rose hissed. Scorpius apologised sheepishly. They turned to follow the Albus, but as soon as they turned they were met by a tall, skinny red haired boy named Hugo Weasley. Rose's younger brother. He grinned at them, mischief lighting up his eyes.

"Oh I am so telling Dad. He's going to MURDER you Scor." He cackled. Rose pleaded with him.

"Come on Hughie, Scor saved your life, be nice." Hugo just shrugged and replied:

"He can't exactly take it back can he; you're going to have to give me a better reason than that."

Rose tried again. "I'll get you ten chocolate frogs." She offered. Hugo appeared to think for a moment.

"Twenty."He negotiated. Rose gave an exasperated sigh.

"Fine, twenty. Now go." She agreed. Hugo winked at them as he left, calling down the corridor to them as he went.

"I said nothing about Mum!" Rose and Scorpius groaned in unison.

"Rose, I really do think the world might be against us." Scorpius sighed.

"You're such a bloody drama queen." Rose chided him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: Well, this may come as a surprise to you but... I'm not J.K Rowling. **

Rose led Scorpius through the large oak door that Albus had just disappeared through. They found themselves in a room full of tall shelves, lined with identical red books with golden lettering on their spines. There was no sign of Albus anywhere; it was as if the room had swallowed him. Rose ran her fingers down the spine of one of the books. She read the title aloud to Scorpius.

"Secrets of Hogwarts-1645" She murmured. Scorpius joined her as she worked her way across the shelves.

"Scor, this is amazing. A library full of secrets. Do you reckon we're in any of those books?" She asked him.

"Come on Rosie, of course we're in here. We've caused more trouble than anyone else in the History of the school!" Scorpius tried his hardest to sound offended, it was hardly a lie. Ever since the first night of the first year, when Rose 'accidentally' set fire to Scorpius. Since then there had been numerous incidents, like setting free the hippogriffs, turning the Quidditch pitch into a beach, charming the head girl's hair pink and general mischief. Rose raised her eye brows.

"Have we really? Cool." She commented, a hint of pride in her words. They were both reminiscing about various pranks and (as McGonagall put it) 'incidents', when a loud howl of pain rang across the library. Scorpius saw Rose pale as they whispered the same name.

"Albus."

They clasped hands, knowing that if they were separated, they would be swallowed by the labyrinth of shelves. They ran to the source of the scream, in the corner furthest away from them. As they stopped to catch their breath after five minutes, the spotted a cloak swish round the corner. Scorpius followed it, Rose behind him. They turned a corner to find Albus.

"Al! You gave us quite a turn!" Rose sighed, relieved at finding her cousin safe.

"What? Oh yeah, um, I was with Jeanette." Albus seemed strange, nervous and, Scorpius was confused by the next thing he found, guilty.

"All night? EW! Al, you're such a tart." Rose complained. Scorpius laughed a little, he wasn't sure if boys could be tarts.

"No I'm not. And you're insinuating that my girlfriend, whose heart Scor broke last year, is a tart is I am." Albus was getting angry. Scorpius exchanged a confused look with Rose. What did his constant rejection of Jeanette's advances the previous year, have to do with anything?

"What does that have to do with anything? And you were fine with slagging her off last year!" Rose raised her voice, though she wasn't angry, more confused. He could see why, this really wasn't like Al.

"You're the tart, Weasley. We all wander what goes on up in Scorpius' dorm. Because according to my sources you don't always come back to the girl's dorm at night, do you Rose?" This wasn't Albus and Scorpius was sure of that. A cry of pain from the corner He and Rose had been headed for caused them all to look worried.

"What was that _Albus_?" Asked Scor, speaking for the first time. He made sure he was clutching Rose, in some effort to protect her from the unknown evils. He wasn't entirely sure how his hold on her would help, he was pretty sure she could get them out of a situation better than he could, but he still did it. Gryffindors are chivalrous, there was nothing he could do to stop his hand from reaching her, it was basic instinct, and he now knew how important listening to his instincts was.

"Nothing. We're late for lessons now, hurry up." 'Albus' urged them towards the exit.

"HELP ME!" The cry was loud and familiar. It was Al. Rose quickly spoke up.

"Sorry Al, I dropped my bag back there, and I don't really want to go alone. Scor will you come with me?" Rose sounded helpless, she really was good at lying. 'Albus' seemed conflicted.

"Okay, only don't go into that far corner, there's some weird stuff back there, really nasty." They replied.

"Oh don't worry, now hurry along to history of magic. Professor Binns may actually kill you if you turn up late again!" Rose dragged Scorpius around the shelves, then hid until they heard the heavy oak door slam shut behind 'Albus'.

"Far corner?" Scor suggested. Rose gave a small smile.

"Read my mind." They charged towards the far corner, clutching each other. The maze of books made them dizzy, endless rows of books in every direction. The screams of agony grew louder and more desperate. Scorpius only hoped that they would get there in time. Together, Rose and Scorpius turned yet another corner and found themselves staring at the bloody form of Albus Potter. His dark hair was matted with blood and he had large gashes all over him. His face was covered in small cuts and he had large shining bruises all over his half naked body. He had a swollen eye and his nose was broken and bleeding. Rose was murmuring counter curses and healing spell but it was to no avail.

"They're not working." She murmured, horrified. She curled up next to her cousin, crying. Scorpius rarely saw Rose cry like this. Angry, yes. Upset, yes. But distraught and helpless wasn't a Rose emotional state.

"Come on Rosie." He urged her. He couldn't do this alone. He needed her to snap out of it. He needed her to be in control of the situation. A small blue glass bottle appeared next to him. Of course! This was the room of requirement.

"Rose, drink this." He commanded gently. Obediently, she sat up and drank. The effects were instant.

"We need essence of dittany. How can we-Oh!" A second bottle appeared, which Rose sniffed.

"Oh, duh! We're in the room of requirement!" She slapped her forehead.

"Rose now is not the time for self harm." Scorpius joked. Rose narrowed her eyes at him and his smile faded.

"Rub this all over him." She instructed him. Scorpius followed her orders, coating Albus' body in a thick, gloopy potion.

"He should be okay, can we see if we can get him up?" Rose asked Scorpius. He shook Al's shoulders.

"Wake up Al, get up you lazy little toad." He hissed. One way to wake Al up was to insult him, and it worked.

"Not...toad." He grunted. Scorpius helped him to his feet and he promptly vomited all over him and Rose, who was supporting his other side.

"Nice." Rose grumbled.

"Today has definitely been a bad day."


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I own nothing and I am seriously running out of funny disclaimers, suggestions more than welcome, in fact, suggestions suggested.**

Scorpius staggered into the corridor, dragging himself and half of Albus' weight along out into the open, Rose next to him supporting the other side of Albus. "So what do we do now?" He asked.

"We need help. Let's get to that classroom." Rose pointed ahead of her at an Arithmancy classroom. Together she and Scorpius hauled Albus along and pushed the door open.

"Mr. Malfoy! Miss. Weasley! Is that Mr. Potter? What in the name of Salazar has happened here?" The professor asked, horrified. It was Professor Zabini, the head of Slytherin house, Arithmancy professor and Albus' favourite teacher.

"Professor Zabini! Please help us! We found Al in the room of requirement, we need to see Auntie-, we need to see Professor McGonagall!" Rose panted, out of breath from the effort it took to keep Al from collapsing again.

"The room of requirement? What were you doing in there?" Zabini narrowed his eyes at the three of them.

"Ignore my last question; I forgot who I was talking to. Get yourselves to the hospital wing, Madam Zeller will see to you. I will make sure McGonagall is aware of this." He motioned the three of them out of the door.

The sight of the Hospital wing was welcome; they were met instantly by a shocked Madam Zeller. She bustled about them, taking Albus to a bed and sending Rose and Scorpius to be cleared up. Scorpius entered a strange metal chamber where he and his clothes were washed by strange electric blue water that smelt of liquorice. Once he was washed a freezing wave of air blasted into him, before he was catapulted out into Rose. She was now laughing on the floor beneath him as he blushed. "Well this is an all too compromising position." He mumbled. Rose laughed even harder.

"It is rather, as much as I love being squashed by you, there are many people who could see this in a very different light." She reminded him. Scorpius instantly leapt off her, imagining how Hugo or Ron might view their position. Scorpius offered Rose a hand, which she of course ignored and got up on her own.

"Shall we go and see Al now?" She suggested.

"Sounds like a plan." He replied. Together they found Albus' bed. They weren't the only ones. Sat in the large wicker chair next to it, holding Albus' hand was Jeanette.

"Hello Nettie! You heard about Al then?" Rose asked. Jeanette looked up at her.

"Obviously." She sneered. Rose and Scorpius exchanged a look of surprise.

"We only wanted to make conversation. How are you coping with it?" Rose continued. Dropping Albus' hand Jeanette crossed her arms.

"Not as well as you, have you had something to take your mind off it?" She retorted, eyeing Scorpius, who now had his arm around Rose's shoulders. Without waiting for a reply, Jeanette carried on, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"You know, some people are going to find it very, very suspicious how you two were the first to find him in that room. Especially since he'd been missing since last night and apparently you two were very late back to your dorms."

Scorpius smelt a rat. Neither he nor Rose had said anything about the room to anyone but Professor Zabini.

"What room, Jeanette?" He asked softly, though venom seeped into his words. She paled.

"The room where you found him."Jeanette replied. She was obviously scared, she had said too much.

"No one said anything about a room. Tell me Jeanette, how do you know he'd been missing since last night?" Rose enquired. Jeanette was shaking with fear and anger.

"H-how dare y-you! Are you accusing me of doing this to my own boyfriend?" She stumbled angrily over her words.

"We aren't accusing you of anything; we just find it interesting how much you know, I dare say you know more than us?" Rose spoke quietly, barely more than a whisper.

"I have never heard bigger lies in my life, Weasley. You are the guilty one. You don't want to have to sneak around with your death-eater boyfriend, if Al was out of the way you could be with him all the time, no cousin in the way. I bet you planned this all when you were creating those hexes last year." Jeanette retorted, a sly smile creeping over her round features.

"Are you really that stupid? Scorpius isn't a death eater, what makes you think that you can go around accusing people of something that serious? I am a Weasley, as you so kindly pointed out, so I have loads of relatives, why would I want to get Albus out of the picture whilst the other three million still wander around the castle? And you know full well that Scorpius was with Circe Flint last year whilst we worked on the project where we created a harmless jinx." Rose looked pityingly down at the girl.

"It may not have been you, but it could have been him! His family are all evil, why should he be an exception?" She shot back.

"You barely know Scor, or his family, how can you make assumptions like that based on prejudices? It couldn't have been him because he would have had to kidnap Al last night, and I know he didn't." Rose was evidently furious, however Jeanette wouldn't stop.

"How do you know he didn't? Were you with him all of last night?" Jeanette asked silkily, her sly smile returning. Scorpius tightened his grip on Rose. He didn't want her to face the rumours that would come from whatever she said next, but she had never paid much attention to what he wanted.

"Yes." She replied simply. She knew the impact her words would have and rolled her eyes when Jeanette theatrically clapped a hand to her mouth, barely trying to disguise her pleasure at having some dirt on the pair of them.

"You little slut, Rose Weasley! I'd heard rumours about you and Scamander last year, but ugh!" She gasped. Scorpius winced at the mention of Rose's previous boyfriend; Lysander Scamander. Rose gave her a small smile.

"Oh no, Finch-Fletchley, I'm not that kind of person. We only talked last night; I know you find it hard to believe that a girl can talk to a boy without trying to sleep with them! Any rumours you have heard about me not being, ahem, innocent are lies, created by dirty minded gossips like you." Jeanette spat a goodbye at them and flounced out of the hospital wing, evidently disgusted by the treatment that she had received. Scorpius cracked a smile, as did Rose.

"Ouch, that wasn't very sweet of you!" Scorpius remarked. Rose shrugged.

"Well, they do call her naughty Nettie; I supposed there would be a reason." She winked as she came to the end of her sentence.

"Hey, that's my innocent little Hufflepuff girlfriend you're talking about!" Albus piped up from beside them. Scorpius composed himself, as did Rose.

"Sorry Al, he did call Rosie a slut." Scorpius reasoned, however his friend wasn't angry, he just looked a little disappointed at his girlfriend's behaviour.

"I know. I didn't expect her to go that far. She's never liked Rose. Jealous, most likely. I don't think I like her anymore.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Still no polyjuice potion ( serves me right for using Errol, I mean, how is that bird still alive?) so I am currently not J.K Rowling and therefore do not own Harry Potter. **

**I'm going to do some of Rose's thoughts for a while, because to be honest, I currently don't like her. And I apologise for the missing punctuation in the last chapter, but I'm too lazy to correct it.**

Rose was shocked. Albus never just stopped liking girls, he would usually fall deeply and passionately in love,then be heart broken for days after the girl rejected him or ditched him, before bouncing back after a quick strop. That was the way he worked. He never ditched girls, especially ones he mooned over as much as he did with Jeanette.

"Not that I don't thoroughly support your decision, why?" She asked politely, perching herself on the end of the rickety hospital bed.

"I'm not deaf you know, I did hear what she said to you two! It's not just that though, I should have jumped to her aid, but I really couldn't be bothered. _I just didn't care_!" He explained. Rose shook her head at the dark haired boy.

"She doesn't deserve you, she's a horrid little...she's not very nice. I wish you could have seen that earlier and maybe we wouldn't be in this fine mess. If that nasty-" She was cut off by a growl from Albus. There was a smash as the glass he'd been drinking from slipped from his grip. His face was contorted with anger as he glared up at his cousin and her boyfriend.

"Care to finish that sentence, Weasley? Because that's my girlfriend you're talking about." He spat his words out, as if talking to her was disgusting. Rose was scared and confused. Not a minute previously he had been telling them that he didn't like her, and now all of a sudden he was defending her honour like she had an ounce of the stuff left.

"Al mate, are you joking? You just told us you don't care anymore, that you don't like her, and now you're acting as if she's Merlin's own daughter!" Scorpius let a chuckle, nervous as it was, into his words.

"I'd never...How could you suggest... I will always care about Jeanette Potter!" Albus howled, furious at how he was being restrained by his tightly tucked in sheets. Rose had to stifle a giggle as he struggled with his bedding.

"Did you just call her Jeanette Potter?" Scorpius asked, fighting the laughter that Rose was sure was bubbling up inside him. Albus paused, seemingly thinking back over his words before replying.

"Yeah, yeah I did. Because some day I'm going to marry her, because she may not be Merlin's daughter, but she was definitely a gift from him." He sounded like a five year old, defiant and decidedly deluded.

" Of course you are Ally, now try and get some sleep." Rose soothed,trying to get her insane cousin to settle down. He scowled at her as she tucked his sheets in even tighter.

"You're just jealous because your plan didn't work." He whispered. Rose froze. Surely he didn't believe that this had all been some ploy to get sometime alone with Scorpius?

"What plan?" She asked him, her eyes blazing with fury and fear.

"You wanted to kill me. You and Scorpius. That's why I'm here." he replied, staring up at her, his emerald eyes filled with courage and terror.

"Who told you that?" She hissed, she already knew the answer, she was just making it official and was to add it to the long list of reasons why she wanted to kill Jeanette Finch-Fletchley.

"I have my sources." He answered. Definitely Jeanette then.

"Jeanette." Scorpius spat. Rose nodded, not looking up from her cousin. It was probably a hex or a potion, but how could he, her own cousin, whom she'd known since they were born, believed that she and his best friend had actually tried to kill him. Then it struck her. A potion. He'd been all for getting rid of Jeanette until he drunk that glass of water, and then he'd been all over her. It must have been some kind of love potion. She summoned the remainders of the substance that he'd been drinking before, and stood up.

"Bye Al, we hope you see sense when you've had a sleep, we're off now."She spoke softly, as if to a toddler. He scowled up at her, not saying a word. With one last, sad look over her shoulder, she gripped Scorpius' arm and they left.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: If I owned this, I would be wallowing in money and musicals about my books. Instead I am wasting my teenage years writing fan fictions that NOBODY REVIEWS! I would appreciate more reviews...it might make me write faster instead of being all lazy.**

"I've got it Scor!" She hollered, eyes shining with excitement, running up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Scorpius stuck his head out of the doorway.

"Don't get too close, or I'll get it too." He retorted. Rose rolled her eyes at him. He had to have the cheeky response, it was his 'Malfoy nature' as he put it. Rose offered the vial she was holding to him. He sniffed it, a hazy expression crossing his face. Rose gave him a none too gentle slap, and the hazy expression vanished, replaced by a look of polite perplexity.

"This may well be none of my business, darling" He emphasised the darling.

"But why are you brewing amortentia?" Scorpius continued. She gave him a mysterious wink and beckoned for him to follow her.

They were in the dungeons, pouring over the dungeon booking folder. The dungeon booking folder worked like this: If a student wanted to work on a potion outside of class, they had to book a dungeon, by writing their name, which dungeon they wanted and the time they wanted it for, in the book.

"Jeanette has been booked into the same dungeon once a week for the last six months." Rose explained. Scorpius nodded for her to explain further.

"She's been brewing something. And what do we know that has been going on for the past six or seven months?" She urged him to cotton on.

"Albus and her! She's been brewing Amortentia for Al! That explains it!" He exclaimed. Rose rolled her eyes at how slow he'd been.

"Exactly, she had enough charm and looks to reel him in, but she kept him under her lock by giving him this, and now we have to confront her." Rose grinned triumphantly.

"Wait! What? How am I supposed to fight a girl?" Scorpius complained. Rose tutted.

"Confrontation doesn't mean a fight!" She sighed. She didn't want to say, but she doubted Jeanette would be alone. Every detail of this plan suggested an accomplice, as Jeanette wasn't particularly bright. It was too carefully orchestrated, the motive was too political for her. Someone wanted to hurt the Potter family, badly. They wanted to hurt Al, maybe even James and Lily as well. And if they wanted to reach the Potters, why not the Weasleys as well? She suspected ex death eaters, but it could easily be less renowned war heroes. The MacMillans, Changs, Finch-Fletchleys, the list was too long.

"When?" He asked, defeated. Rose consulted the thick leather book.

"Tomorrow night, she's booked in then. We have to be ready." Rose looked up at him, deadly serious. If one thing meant more to her than Scorpius, it was Albus. Albus who had been there when nobody else was. Albus who had grown up with her, put up with her, been the brother Hugo hadn't wanted to be.

"Rose, don't hurt yourself over this." Scorpius pleaded. His silver eyes laced with concern and sadness. He knew her too well, he knew the guilty feeling rising in her stomach. It was then that Rose truly fell in love with him. Not the peculiar blend of friendship and infatuation that had been there, that she had begun to doubt, but real, 'I would die for you' love that burned to think about.

"I love you, Scorpius." She stated, in awe. He looked at her, giving a confused chuckle.

"I know, you said." He replied. She shook her ginger curls.

"No. I didn't love you. Well, I wasn't _in _love with you, I fancied you and you were my best friend, are my best friend. Now, I've actually, properly fallen in love with you, I knew it was too fairytale!" She seemed shocked by her own words. She leant up to kiss him, her mouth on his, eyes shut not actually caring what the world was doing. They were against the walls of the dungeon, realising for the first time each others bodies, tasting each others souls.

"I love you Rose." Scorpius managed.

"Oh! Ew! I came in for a quiet potion and I got this assault on the eye balls!" Lily had waltzed in, Fred Weasley hot on her heels. Both were attempting to stifle laughter. Lily had stopped being so oddly behaved. She had realised, in an unfortunate incident involving Isaac McCluskey, that the world didn't revolve around her, and had become more like she used to be, funny and lively, as opposed to self centred and bitchy.

"Sorry sweetie, have we damaged your innocent mind?" Rose crooned to her younger cousin. Lily rolled her pretty hazel eyes and Fred snorted.

"Please, have you heard half the rumours about me, according to Bella Edding, I'm not a-"

"Lils, you're my baby cousin, the less I know about that aspect of your life, the better," Fred interrupted, hands over his ears.

"We'll be off now." Rose took Scorpius' hand, she felt the strange prickle of excitement pass between their palms.

"Hang on, Al said something about wanting you to go see him, thought I ought to let you know." Lily told them. Rose felt Scorpius freeze. She knew Albus hadn't meant what he said, but the jibes, the rumours, they had been too much. Even teachers were treating them with suspicion.

"Thanks!" Rose called, as she and Scorpius dashed out of the dank room.


End file.
